Shakira’s World Cup video puts spotlight on school meals programme
A new World Cup 2014 video by the singer and activist Shakira is helping some of the world’s poorest children to get a daily school meal.
The Colombian superstar’s new song La La La (Brazil 2014) is supporting the work of the United Nations World Food Programme.
Shakira teamed up with the yoghurt brand Activia to donate three million school meals to the WFP’s School Meals Programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nicaragua.
The WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger. In some of the poorest parts of the world, it can provide the only nutritious meal a school child gets on a regular basis.
Children’s rights campaigner Shakira recently became a member of the Emergency Coalition for Education Action. She and other celebrities will appeal to their millions of fans across the globe to make their voices heard on behalf of the 57 million out-of-school children before the end of 2015 through a 500-Day Global Education Countdown Campaign.
She said: “La La La (Brazil 2014) celebrates the World Cup, an event that has an unparalleled ability to unite both people and nations.
“I wanted to capitalise on the world coming together to also raise awareness and make a contribution towards nourishing kids by supporting WFP’s schools meals programme, together with Activia.”
Shakira is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Picture: Shakira.com
The video features her boyfriend Gerard Pique, the Barcelona and Spain defender. It also includes Barcelona team-mates Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cesc Fabregas, Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero and Eric Abidal and Ramanel Falcao of Monaco.
The WFP says it takes just $5 a month to give a child school meals for a month.
A spokesman said: “The more people who watch and share the video means more people will know that zero hunger is possible. And they will know that their donations to WFP makes a big difference in the lives of children around the world.”
The WFP recently named Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho as an Ambassador Against Hunger.
Jose – whose wife Matilde is an WFP Special Ambassador for school feeding – is expected to visit WFP operations in sub-Saharan Africa.
He said: “Supporting the work of the World Food Programme on the frontlines of hunger is a personal decision about a cause that is very close to the hearts of me and my family.
“If we can harness the spirit and the will to address the nutritional needs of the poor, then we have a real chance of ending hunger in our lifetimes.”